| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 collectors stepping up to buy miniature shoes "Calla Lilly," created by the artist "Raine," is from the Just the Right Shoe collection offered by Willitts Design of Petaluma, Calif. Manufacturers have been doing some fancy footwork in the past year to keep up with collector demand for the many shoe-related collectibles that have stepped onto the scene. "Collectors are fascinated with collectible shoe figurines because they're unique; there's never been anything like them," said Mary Sieber, editor of Collector's mart magazine. "They are extremely detailed and very reasonably priced, not to mention historically interesting. And as everyone knows, you can never have too many shoes." Top collectibles producers have been marching out new product lines featuring fanciful footwear of all types. Artist "Raine" has received accolades for her line, Just the Right Shoe, available from Willitts Designs. Hand painted in a 4-inch size, a sexy Powder Puff Mule (circa 1940) and Leopard Stiletto (circa 1955) mingle with an Opera Boot (circa 1880) and the 1990s piece Tying the Knot. Crafted of cold-cast porcelain, Raine's designs chronicle footwear from the Revolutionary War to the 1990s. Each comes packaged in a miniature shoe box. The collection has expanded to include Just the Right Style, a line of hats and purses in the form of collectible boxes. Inspiration for Raine's creations is drawn from a variety of sources. Her Calla Lily evokes the feminine power of nature and a ritual celebration, while the angular and spiky Red Devil suggests a racy, red-hot tango. "My husband's Vietnam boot was the military boot that came out recently," the artist said. "The wrinkles and folds are actually modeled around his foot. That's a personal artifact for me." Flambro Imports made a well-heeled entrance into the category with Age of Elegance, a series of Victorian-era shoes and hats featuring multiple materials and high style. Elegant buttons and lace ribbons adorn these historically researched period designs. The Willow Hall Collection of hinged boxes, also from Flambro, features shoes and other fashion accessories. Look for a stylish, gray porcelain box topped by high-heeled black and pink pumps, among other designs. Just Plain Country, a collection of 20 3- to 4-inch-high western boot reproductions, stomped onto the scene from Country Artists. The British-sculpted boots made of a leatherlike resin are replicas of popular and historic boots that can be traced back to the early days of the Wild West. Artist Peter Gee's passion for country-western line dancing spurred a new phase in his career, that of boot artist for the Just Plain Country line. "The first step in creating these boots is research," Gee said. "After I find several designs I feel will work, I do some rough sketches. When the decision is made as to which design we'll go with, I begin sculpting." The hallmark of Gee's work is the well-worn look of the pieces — something that is quite personal for Gee. "I study my own boots to see where they wrinkle and how the leather wears," he said. "Anyone who wants to see my feet should buy my miniatures." Gee's Rio Grande, a Spanish boot of black with white trim, brings to mind the days of the dashing Spanish vaquero. Rodeo, which exhibits two-tone tooling in fine detail, and Heritage, decorated with the rich tones of an American Indian headdress, are examples of the line's authenticity. "Pipkin and Bonnet Ltd., based in Ireland, has wowed the collectibles industry here in America with its line of miniature bonnets and shoes that replicate styles from as far back as the 1600s," said Daisy Cain, a contributor to Collector's mart magazine. The company's designs are crafted using authentic materials such as leather, satin, lace, gauze, ribbon, feathers, and faux jewels. Restoration Pantoufle is a leather mule with a delicate diamond pattern on the upper that reflects the style of the 1660s. The next time you go shopping for footwear, forget those words of wisdom about "practical shoes." Think small, think fanciful, and think collectible. Copyright 2000 by Krause Publications. For a free catalog of Krause Publications books or periodicals on collectibles, write Public Relations, Dept. IC, Krause Publications, 700 E. State St., Iola, WI 54990-0001, or visit www.krause.com on the worldwide web, or e-mail info@krause.com. Our online fleamarket is the best place to find vintage and antique items on the Internet. - FleaMarket - Antique Mall - vintage fabric - Our Flea Market is continually restocked with amazing items of every kind. - fabric - We scour every nook and cranny in order to bring you a huge inventory of antiques, collectibles, vintage clothing and vintage fabrics in our cybermall. Looking for a needle in a haystack? - antique mall - vintage fabric - Come here first-we may have what you're looking for. If it's not in stock, sign up for our free Personal Shopper service-we'll notify you as soon as we locate your item. If it's special, if it's unique, if it's collectible, you'll find it in our ever-changing collection of vintage clothing, china dinnerware, decorative porcelain-there's too much to list and it's only at Fleatique! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
